


in a heartbeat (in a heart)

by inexorableformation



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Cuddling, Established Relationship, M/M, Post-Recall, Recovery, Second Chances, by which i mean a second chance at overwatch, im sorry the tag cuddling and snuggling just sounds really weird to me so im using this one lmfaooo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:15:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23683015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inexorableformation/pseuds/inexorableformation
Summary: we go again
Relationships: Jesse McCree/Genji Shimada
Comments: 3
Kudos: 48





	in a heartbeat (in a heart)

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote mcgenji! hooray! im still sort of figuring out what dynamic i want them to have, this was my first foray into writing a fic that is focused on them
> 
> also I guess im going for meme summaries now? meme summaries and fake deep titles yeehaw  
> (edit: i found out where the spelling for my original meme summary originated and i dont wanna be associated with that so i changed it)

"Back in Blackwatch I never woulda thought you'd want this."

Genji lifts his head.

"You?"

"Well," McCree answers and rests his cheek on the metal plating above Genji's chest. "That too, not gonna lie. But nah, just-"

"Just?"

"Touch, I guess. I get that it was a shit situation and you were new to the whole cyborg thing but it's- it's real good to see you more comfortable with it now, y'know?"

Genji strokes his hair. His fingertips tingle as they rub across the soft textures, the warmth of McCree's skin. He smiles. His face plate rests next to an old cowboy hat on the chair doubling as a second wardrobe

"It took me a long time to find myself again."

"That's valid, darlin'. I was really fucked up after the whole losin' an arm thing and that was a random Talon grunt takin' the shot."

"I regret one thing more," Genji continues his train of thought.

"Oh?"

"Taking a long time to find you again."

McCree makes a strangled noise that turns into breathless laughter, disbelief, a comforting warm rumble.

"Got you," Genji says and grins up at the ceiling, scars pulling at his lips. "But make no mistake, it was not a joke."

McCree wraps his arms around Genji's waist a little tighter, looks up at him. His chin rests on the space between Genji's ribs. Metal, bone, wire beneath the fabric.

"I reckon we both needed time."

"I reckon we did, cowboy."

McCree shifts as Genji pulls the covers a little higher, up to his lower back. He hums, pleased, cozy, and closes his eyes. Genji rubs his shoulders, draws circles on McCree's skin through the thin shirt- a dragon too, choppy uneven lines.

"Was gonna ask if that's a snake."

"Glad you refrained from doing that. I know what joke that would have been."

"Are you happy to see me, though, pumpkin?"

Genji drops his head back onto the pillow to hide his smile. Grins up with his colorless eyes, his fingers curled against the back of McCree's neck.

"I am debating that still."

"Ouch."

"Of course," Genji says. "Of course I am happy to see you, Jesse."

"Aw."

"I am at peace with you."

"Aw!"

McCree loosens the hug to move up until the top of his head slots below Genji's chin. The early morning sun hasn't quite risen yet, it's the round lamp on the nightstand illuminating the room, adding angular shadows across the freshly painted walls.

"'M feelin' like I'm home," McCree says quietly. "Blackwatch felt like that, too."

"But?"

"Nothin' but. We got it back, y'know? Got a second chance. And it's workin' out better."

Genji exhales.

"It is."

"Might be related to Moira bein' gone."

"Might be. If by that you are trying to say it definitely is."

McCree stays silent for a moment, trailing his fingers over Genji's arms, his back, the middle of his chest.

"D'you ever wonder-"

"Wonder about what?" Genji asks as the quiet returns, the somber edge.

"What woulda happened if she had gotten you, too. Considerin' what she-"

He stops. The shiver could have come from both of them, running through them and before it ends Genji takes McCree's hand and holds it close.

"Gabriel isn't dead. He's safe."

"I know," McCree says, exhausted. "And 'm happy about that. Ain't a day 'm not happy about that. It's just-"

"Just?"

"Just one of those things I dream about, y'know. Lacroix gettin' taken. Reyes fallin' apart. Someone from Talon puttin' somethin' in my arm to control me or-"

"You're all you. I'm all me."

"Yeah," McCree sighs and huffs against Genji's soft hoodie. "Yeah."

They stay as they are, let the day arrive. McCree runs his thumb over Genji's metal knuckles, stares to the side and past the lamp, past the clothes that haven't been folded yet and an untouched pot of tea.

"It'll be summer soon," he says. "Feels like a week since I saw snow."

"I thought you had come to appreciate the winter."

"It ain't about that."

"What is it about?"

McCree twitches.

"Time isn't passin' right," he says. "Too fast. Too slow. Y'know?"

Genji smoothes down his hair.

"It does that when you are waiting for things to go wrong. When you wait to lose everything."

McCree curls in on himself, the tension in his body enough to hurt them both.

"I don't wanna be paranoid," he says, irritated. "I don't wanna-"

"And I don't think it is something either of us can control."

"It's too good to be true. All this."

Genji strokes a fingertip down the shell of his ear.

"There will be better days again."

"The days are great, 's me who-"

"There will be better days again," Genji repeats. "Days that will make it easy to appreciate them."

McCree hesitates before he smiles but he smiles nonetheless.

"Well now, if you say so then that's gotta be true."

"Would I lie to you?"

"Nah," McCree agrees. "Not about this. You only lie to people about the lil' things to fuck with them."

Genji laughs.

"I would never."

"Hey, you told Hanzo that Overwatch has a tradition to dress up all silly when you join."

"I almost got him to do it, too."

"Nice."

"I believe it was my suggestion of a clown nose that gave my plan away."

"Can't imagine why."

They laugh together and McCree shuffles up higher again until they are eye to eye. Genji shifts around so they lay next to each other. It's not sorrow that comes with it. Not only.

"I was uncertain if you were angry at me," he says into the small space between them, the breaths between breaths. "Because I left Blackwatch."

McCree shakes his head.

"Nah. Your health was more important. Sure, would've been nice to have you around but you couldn't have prevented anythin' that happened. No one could've, except for whatever rats Talon sent."

"We have to do better this time."

McCree leans their foreheads together.

"We will. We can't not, y'know?"

Genji smiles, rests his eyes. The dawn is not too far away.

"For the people who are gone," he says. "And the ones who returned."


End file.
